Daytime lidar measurements of tidal winds in the mesospheric sodium layer at Urbana, Illinois

Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA092iA08p08781· OSTI ID:5674635

Kwon, K H; Gardner, C S; Senft, D C ^[1]; Roesler, F L; Harlander, J ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (United States)
2. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison (United States)

The first daytime lidar observations of the mesospheric Na layer at Urbana, Illinois (40{degrees}N, 88{degrees}W), were made in January and March 1986. The data show strong 12-hour oscillations of the Na density and layer centroid height which appear to be caused by the semidiurnal tide. The peak-to-peak variations in column abundance and centroid height were of the order of 100% and 3 km, respectively. The vertical wind velocities were inferred from the temporal variations of the density gradients on the layer topside. The inferred wind amplitudes and vertical wavelengths for the semidiurnal tide were {approximately}30 cm s{sup {minus}1} and {approximately}50 km, respectively. The maximum upward vertical velocity occurs at about 1,100 LST and 2,300 LST.

• OSTI ID: 5674635
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 92:A8; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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